Animal-hopple.



PATENTEDJULY 2, 190'7.

- A. -SMITH.

ANIMAL HOPPLE.`

APPLIUATION FILED 00h22. 1906.

4 from/E Ys 'UNUSED srnfils PATENT cierren..

ALFRED B. SMITH, OF TOPEKA,`KNSAS.

ANIMAL-Herrin.

To all 'whom 'it may conem Be it known that I, ALFRED B. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residingr at Topeka, in the county o Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Animal-Hopple, of which the following is a specication.

The present invention relates to an animal hopple intended for use on cows to prevent kicking and to hold them still during milking.

The invention has for certain of its objects to improve, simplify and cheapen the construction ol devices of this class and to improve the operation ofthe same so as to be easy to apply and eflicient in use.

`With these objects in view, and others, as will appear as the nature oi the invention is better understood, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts,` which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forthwith pa rticularity in the claims appended hereto.

I n the accompanying drawing, which lillustrates one of the embodiments ofthe invention, Figure 1 is a' 'perspective Vview of the hopple or anti-kicking device applied to the hind legs of a cow. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device. Fig. 3 is a perspective view oi theminate at a point between the hamstring and the front fleshy part of the leg, and the s..id ends are curved out wardly at 3 so as to avoid pressing into the leg and causing pain. The left shackle 2 is provided with a loop 4 to which the drawing chain 5 is attached. The loop 4 is riveted, or otherwise rigidly secured, to that part of the shackle 2 that extends around the left side of the tendonous part of the leg. The free end of the chain passes through a loop -riveted, or otherwise rigidly secured, to tho outside end 7 of the shackle l. 'lhe loop 6 is provided with a contracted portion or narrow locking loop 8 into which any link of the chain 5 can be in- Isorted in a lutwise position. When a link is inserted in Specication of Letters Patent.

Appliation filed October 22, 190B. Serial. No. 840,061.

Patented July 2, 1907.

part of the leg and then across the front part of the right leg, so that the shackle` 1 can be applied to the right. leg'. After the latter shackle is applied, the operator pulls toward the right on the/free end of the chain while the said chain is in thelarge portion of the loop 6. When i the legs are drawn to thevproper position, the nearest link of the chain is inserted ilatwise into the contracted 'portion 8 of the loop 6. While the-chain will permit' the cow to shift its legs to assume a comfortable position, it acts to restrain the movement of the cow s that kicking is prevented. To apply a shackle to the leg of a cow, the shackle is put on at the narrowest part of the lhamstring, as, for instance, at the point 10, Fig. 1. The

shackle is then pressed bodily over the tendonous part 1l until it is brought to rest by the swelling Aof the hock'joint 12. The ends 3 of the shackles will engage 75 in the hollow portion 13, Figs. 1 and 2, between the hamstring and the larger front part of the leg, and the ends 3 prevent the shackle from dropping off. The

shackles tightly grip over the hamstring so that it will prevent the tendons from swelling when the cow at- 8O tempts to kick. Since the tendons cannot swell, the muscles of the legare prevented from acting and, iurthcrmore, the shackles cause pain when the cow moves its leg in an effort to kick. It will thus be seen that the shackles act on the tendons of the muscles that are brought into play in the act o kicking and the chain operates to prevent free movement of the legs so that the cow cannot step around with any considerable de` grec of fieedom. To remove the hopplc or antikick.

ing device, the chain 5 is first disengaged from the nar- 9() row portion 8 of the loop 6, and `then the shackles are taken off by moving them upwardly one at a time, and

then withdrawing them over the narrow portion l0 of thehamstrings.

l have described lthe principle of operation of the in- 95 vention, together with the apparatus which l new consider to be the best embodiment thereof, but l desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and that various changes may be made,

when desired, as are within the scope of the invention.' 1.00

What is claimed. is:-

i. in u device of the class described, the combination of :i puir of shackles constructed of strip metal and simpl-d to rightly grip und be-hcld in place hy the ham xii-ings of the nnlmal, a wire loop on one shackle, n iieri- 10.5

hhl violin-nt connected with the loop, und n wlre structure' nu Hw other shackle for receiving the flexible clement und having u portion shaped to grip said clement.

in u device or the class described, the combination of u pair or shackles made ox" metal strips bent to con- 11G form lo :he lmuistrings ot an animal and each having their onlls shaped to engage In the hollow portions between the hamstrings and fore parts of the leg, forwardly extending loops onthe oter ends of the shackles, and a chain attached at one end to ,one of the loops and passingut its opposite end'through the other loop, the latter loop having means forv odjustably holding the free end ot the chain.

Il. In a device of the class described, the combination of n pair of shackles, each comprising a strip bent centroll) on itself. o. chain attached to one ot the shackles, a. loop on the other shackle` through'which the free end of the chain totcnds and provided with means for locking any 'one of the links of the chain to the loop, and a device on the end of the chain serving as a handhold and :is n stop for preventing the chain from dlsengaglng from the loop.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination witnesses.

which 'prevents the latter from drawing out of the enlarged portion of the loop.

In` testimony that I claim the foregoing :1s my own, I have heretoaifixcd my.signature in the presence of two ALFRED I5. SMITH.

Witnesses:

Manon HOLMES,

EVA ELs'roN'. 

